Alpha Delta Pi

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Alpha Delta Pi
ΑΔΠ
Alpha delta pi crest.jpg
Founded May 15, 1851; 172 years ago (1851-05-15)
Wesleyan College (Macon, Georgia)
Type Social
Scope International
Motto Ζωμεν Αλληλοις (Greek)
"We Live For Each Other"
Colors      Azure      White
Flower Woodland Violet
Jewel Diamond
Mascot "Alphie" The Lion
Publication The Adelphean
Philanthropy Ronald McDonald House Charities
Chapters 155
Members 220,000+ collegiate
Headquarters 1386 Ponce de Leon Ave., NE
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Homepage http://www.alphadeltapi.org
Alpha Delta Pi Sorority House at Ohio University.
University of Illinois chapter house, listed in the NRHP

Alpha Delta Pi (ΑΔΠ) is a National Panhellenic sorority founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.[1] Alpha Delta Pi is known for being the first secret society for college women at Wesleyan Female College.

Founding of Alpha Delta Pi

Alpha Delta Pi, nicknamed ADPi, was founded as the first girl's sorority on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. It was first named the Adelphean Society, a secret society focused on fellowship and scholarship for girls. The sorority was founded on the principles of scholarship, leadership, service to others, and sisterhood. These principles still guide the policies and programs of the sorority today.

The open motto of ADPi is "We Live for Each Other," and its colors are azure blue and white. The official flower is the woodland violet; however, since woodland violets are found in the wild and not available for purchase, people often substitute the African violet. The mascot for Alpha Delta Pi is a lion with the nickname of Alphie and the official symbol is the diamond.[2] Alpha Delta Pi currently has 155 chapters in the United States and Canada, and over 140 alumnae associations, and their Executive Office is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Its national philanthropy is the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Alpha Delta Pi was founded by six women: Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Williams Mitchell, Sophronia Woodruff Dews, Octavia Andrew Rush, Mary Evans Glass, and Ella Pierce Turner.

Wesleyan College, the first college for women in the world, was chartered to grant degrees to women. Young women fortunate enough to receive a college education were from progressive and educated families. A typical day for a Wesleyan student was highly regulated. There was a precise schedule for waking, eating, attending classes, taking fresh air and exercising, studying, attending chapel and sleeping. They had few personal liberties and little time for free thinking and socializing.

Alpha Delta Pi is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, which is the governing council of the 26 member sororities.

Symbols

The symbols of Alpha Delta Pi are:

  • Badge - The first diamond-shaped badge was worn by the Adelpheans in 1852. Stars were not included on this first badge, but it did have a monogram of the Wesleyan pin attached to the badge by a link chain, thus forming a guard. In 1854, the stars were added, but it was not until 1874 that the stars and the clasped hands were raised. This design remained with only slight modifications until 1906 when, at Alpha Delta Pi's first convention, Nanaline King presented a new design for the pin. Her design was a smaller gold badge with a black enamel center which pictured the clasped hands, the two stars, and the Greek letters, Alpha Delta Phi. This design was adopted by the convention and is the same pin we have today, with Alpha Delta Phi being changed to Alpha Delta Pi at the 1913 convention.
  • Alpha Badge - New Member Badge, New members wear a gold pin with a lion atop the Greek letters ΒΥΑ.
  • Mascot - The lion is the mascot of Alpha Delta Pi. The lion is nicknamed Alphie.
  • Official Colors - Azure blue and white are the official colors of Alpha Delta Pi. Blue is symbolic of friendship, the basic spirit upon which Alpha Delta Pi was founded. White symbolizes sincerity and truth, two of the qualities in which Alpha Delta Pi looks for in its members.
  • Jewel - Diamond, a symbol of the enduring strength and value of friendship.
  • Official Flower - The Woodland Violet, which grows wild, is the official flower. Because it is unavailable for purchase, African Violets are often used to symbolize the Woodland Violet.
  • Coat of Arms - Elizabeth Moseley Coles, who was elected national president at the first grand convention, was responsible for having the coat of arms designed. Another sister of Alpha chapter, Agnes Chapman, is given credit for the actual design of the coat of arms. Symbolism from the ritual and the Alpha pin were combined in the coat of arms, and the design originally had a background of violets. In 1919, the convention body voted to make changes and the present design was accepted.
  • 4-pointed Diamond - Symbolizes a balanced life when all 4 points of the diamond are represented: Sisterhood, Scholarship, Sorority, Service.

History

The Adelphean Society was founded on May 15, 1851 by Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald. The society was founded for the purpose of mental, moral, and social and domestic improvement. In 1904, a committee of three, led by Jewel Davis, conferred with Attorney Dupont Guerry, the President of Wesleyan, about to the procedure to become a national organization. They secured a charter of incorporation from the state of Georgia. In 1905, the Adelphean Society changed its name to Alpha Delta Phi. At the time of nationalization, Alpha Delta Phi had 60 active members and 3,000 alumnae.

In 1905, Beta Chapter was established at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by two members of Alpha Chapter. The chapter has seven members and fifteen new initiates. It thrived for three years until the administration abolished sororities. In 1906, the Gamma Chapter was founded at Mary Baldwin Seminary. Visitors were not allowed at the school, so the chapter charter and special instructions were delivered to the new group by mail. In 1906, Jewel Davis entered The University of Texas at Austin as a graduate student, organized a group, and installed them as Delta Chapter, the fourth chapter of Alpha Delta Phi. Jewel Davis is listed as a charter member as there was no precedent for affiliation. Today, the Delta Chapter at The University of Texas at Austin is the oldest surviving chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. Between 1906 and 1912, eight more chapters were founded at various universities.

In 1913, Alpha Delta Phi officially changed its name to Alpha Delta Pi. Chi Chapter, at Wittenberg University was the first chapter to bear the new name. In 1948, Mrs. Carolee Strock Stanard retired as Grand President and part of her keynote address became The Creed of Alpha Delta Pi. In 1960, Alpha Delta Pi's 100th chapter, Delta Omicron, was installed at East Carolina University. In 1971, the Zeta Gamma Chapter was adopted as the first sorority at the University of North Carolina Charlotte's campus.

In 1979, Alpha Delta Pi adopted Ronald McDonald Houses as the National Philanthropy. In 1983, Alpha Delta Pi Foundation was established. In 2001, Alpha Delta Pi celebrated its 150th Anniversary in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2006, the Delta chapter, the oldest open chapter of ADPi, celebrated its 100th anniversary at The University of Texas at Austin. In 2009, Theta Theta Chapter at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut was installed. Theta Theta was the 200th chapter of ADPi to be installed. Chapters continue to be installed and anniversaries celebrated at numerous university campuses. In 2014, the Delta Sigma Chapter was reinstalled at The University of Mississippi.

Notable ADPis

Alpha Delta Pi chapters

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Main article: List of Alpha Delta Pi chapters

Alpha Delta Pi philanthropy

A member of the Delta Delta chapter of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority started a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in 1979. RMHC mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. The partnership between ADPI and RMHC has contributed more than $7.8 million to the organization of the Ronald McDonald House. There are over 300 Ronald McDonald Houses in 52 countries that supporters, sisters, and alumni of Alpha Delta Pi help to serve. The goal of the houses is to provide comfort to families who have seriously ill children in nearby hospitals. Besides just donating money towards the Ronald McDonald Houses, ADPi collegiate chapters volunteer their time and energy serving those who are staying at the houses. Sisters of ADPi will cook meals for families, clean and repair the houses, and play and interact with children and adults living at the houses.

See also

References

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External links

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